Whether you are headed to another part of the city or gearing up for a cross-country relocation, moving presents a fair share of challenges. You may look around your home, surveying your prized possessions and accumulated goods, and wonder, “How am I ever going to get organized to move?” Well, moving doesn’t have to be a complete headache. Here are a few tips on how to clear a path to a smooth move.

Create an InventoryThe first step to getting organized is to survey what exactly you will move. Grab a notepad and begin going through your home, room by room, noting exactly which items you will take with you. You may be surprised at what you find, and you may end up wanting to get rid of some things instead of moving them.

Set Aside Your EssentialsThere are basics that you will want to set aside so that they’ll be at hand while you pack and unpack. These range from basic necessities such as toilet paper, a toothbrush and a change of clothing to more specific items such as a basic set of tools, kitchen utensils or even a favorite book.

Donate and PurgeOnce you have an idea of what to keep and what you can live without in your new home, it’s time to purge. Start with friends and family in the neighborhood to see if they can use any of your unwanted items. If you live in an apartment or condo complex, consider offering them to other tenants.

Another route is to donate. Thrift stores and homeless shelters will happily accept clothes and furniture, and donations are a great way to recycle your possessions instead of simply throwing them away. Plus, anything you donate can be written off come tax time.

Group Similar ItemsAfter shedding unwanted possessions, the next step is to start packing. However, with packing comes planning. Start by grouping similar items together. For example, you are not going to pack a china figurine in the same box as your cast-iron frying pans. Keep all parts or pairs of things together. Curtain rod hangers, mirror bolts and other small hardware items should be placed in plastic bags and taped or tied securely to the article to which they belong.

Pack and LabelYour inventory is set and your items are grouped. Now comes the fun part: packing. You may think you can just throw everything in a box, but it would behoove you to take a more tactical approach.

Pack small, fragile, individually wrapped items separately or a few together in small boxes, cushioning with crushed or shredded paper. Place small boxes in a single large box, filling in spaces with crushed paper. Limit carton weight to about 50 pounds. Avoid overloading cartons but strive for a firm pack that will prevent items from shifting. The cover should close easily without force but should not bend inward.

And don’t forget to label as you go! Not knowing what is in each box can spell disaster when you unpack. You might even consider color-coding your boxes for each room in your new house (green for the living room, blue for the kitchen, red for the bedroom, etc.).

Move PlannerIf you have read through this list of organizational moving tips and still feel stressed, you may need to bring in a professional. Fortunately for you, realtor.com offers just a solution: an Online Move Planner. The move planner is designed to provide everything you need before, during and after your move:

If your home is currently listed with a real estate broker, this is not intended to be a solicitation of the listing. Each WEICHERT ® franchised office is independently owned and operated. Weichert® is a federally registered trademark owned by Weichert Co. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. REALTOR® is a federally registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a Member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

If your home is currently listed with a real estate broker, this is not intended
to be a solicitation of the listing. Each WEICHERT ® franchised office is independently
owned and operated. Weichert® is a federally registered trademark owned by Weichert
Co. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. REALTOR® is
a federally registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate
professional who is a Member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribes
to its strict Code of Ethics.